Sifter-top-receptacle closure



Feb. 20, 1923. 1,445,736. J- T. WILCOX- SIFTER TOP RECEPTACLE CLOSURE.

FILED NOV. 19, I920.

333 his fl-ttdzegs To all whom it may mm pensing them for sale.

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, the en Josmri 'r. witooxor VTESTFIELD, new JERSEY, essieNon 'ro THE rm nnconarlne comrnur or BALTIMORE, or BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, a conroraarron or new JERSEY.

Be it known that I, JOSIAH l. lViiicox, a citizenof the United, States, and resident of l i estfielchin the county of Unionand State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in. Sifter-Top-Ro ceptacle Closures, otwhich the following is a specification. I i My invention relates to a class of containers which is well exemp-lifiedlby containers i'or talcum and similar toilet powders, consisting of sheet metalcans having a disclosure, preferably in the form of a sitter top, including rotatable cap arranged to cover or uncover the powder discharge openings. i

These cans, or boxes, are usually furnished in quantities, in a more or less. completed condition, to manufacturers or packers of toilet powder, who fill the cans, complete them by affixing a closure, and distribute .In some cases the cans are furnished with the dispensingtop in place, complete, and with a filling opening in another part ofthe can, through which the powder is introduced, and thisfilling opening is then closed. The provision of a special filling opening involves additional expense in the production of the cans and when the closure of this opening requires machine operations, added expense and other diificulties on the part of thepacker are also involved. i In other cases the can bodies are furnished withopenings which are to receive the dispensing closures and the; closures are furnished separately, to the attached after the cans are filled through the closureopenings. The attachment of the dispensing closures usually involves machine operations, which necessitate more or less expensive; equipment and occasions delays objectionable to manufacturers or packers of the toilet preparatione. Also, regardless of the mannerin which the c are filled, the dispensing closures structed include a sleeve or part extending into the can body about the opening in which thedispensing top is inserted, and this inwardly extending port-ion "traps some of the contents oi the box so that it is. practically impossible for the purchaser to discharge 're contents. and this, oi course, reduce the value o l" the commodity to the cousu-n'ier. {In a 0 tin class of contalus-rs for these cormu-oditiis, the, can hodics have more control the dispensing openings.

as often con- SIFTER'TOPBECEPTACLE Application iua November 1s, 1.920. Serial in. 425,038.

or less straight and parallel sides with a top opening of considerable area, sometimes polygonal oroval and often round in contour. These openings are closed by a top or breast which is comparableto the end cap of an ordinary tin can, and this top or breast may be crimped onor may be flanged and applied with a friction fit or otherwise permanently secured. Such a top affords an opportunity for easilyilorining in it before it is placed on the can anysuitable dispens ing closure and in cans of this sort some of the diiliculties mentioned above in connection with cans of other types are more readture inserted in the opening in the process.

of manufacture, this part having a relatively large-open end through which the can can be easily and quickly filled; and providing an additional closure part, separate :lrom the can body structure, constructed and orranged to cooperate with the closure member attached to the can body, so that the separate part may be applied after the can is filled without machine operations. The originally separate closure structure usually comprisesa part to co-operate with the 010- sure member located on the hex liody and another relatively movable part arranged to The closure structure is also constructed and arranged so that no part extends appreciably into the can body ninth therefore, no ZLPPIG- ciable ai'nount of th contents of the container' is trapped wi iin it, and full cointhus afforded to the coninodity value sinner. I p i The objects, churacteristics and advantages of the invention are further explained so flaias necessary, in connection with a detailed description of the accompanying dra \ving,.which shows one exemplifying e nbodiment of the invention. 'After' considering this, persons skilled in the art will understand. that many variations may be made in accordance with the principles disclosed and I contemplate the en'iployment of any structures which are within the scope of the claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a vertical central section of the upper art of a container or can and dispensing closure embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a section in similar plane showing the can body and the closure member permanently attached to the body with other closure parts removed;

Fig. 3 is a separate detail in section of the friction member of the attachable closure structure Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the friction member with the rotatable cap attached;

Fig. 5 is a detail of the cap separated from the friction member;

Fig. 6 is a top plan of the complete closure in position on a container.

Figs. 1, 2 and 3 show a container C having a wall 10 provided with an opening 11, usually circular, through which the container may be filled and in which a closure member is located. In the process of manufacture the cam body is provided with a closure member 15 which may be identified for convenience as a fixed closure member. This consists'in the present case of an approximately cylindrical sleeve, which may be actually slightly tapered, so that the diameter is slightly larger at the inner end than at a point near the outer end. This thimble or sleeve is provided, by suitable pressing or bending operations, with a flange 16 con sisting of parallel folds of the integral sheet metal of the sleeve and another flange 17 originally extending in cylindrical form below flange 16 and inserted in the filling opening and rolled or pressed outward as shown in Fig. 2, so that the two thimble flanges tightly grip the metal of the container wall 10 surrounding opening 11. The fixed closure member does not extend appreciably into the can body and no appreciable amount of the contents of the can can be trapped within it, and the discharge of the entire contents of the can for the use of the consumer is, therefore, assured. The outer end of sleeve 15 is usually curved slightly inward as at 18 to facilitate attachment of the separate closure structure.

"The separate closure structure comprises a dished or cup-shaped member 20 having an approximately cylindrical wall 21 adapted to closely with frictional engagement. the outer surface of sleeve or thimble 15. The lower edge of this wall may be slightly flared out as at 2:3 to facilitate application of the separate closure structure to sleeve '15. The upper or outer wall 23 of member 20 is usually bulged slightly outward, or externally convex, and is provided witha suitable plurality of discharge openings 24L. The outer Wall 23 may also'be provided with un'outwardly pressed projection A rotatable cap 30. is produced by suitable pressing operations. This comprises an upper or outer wall 31 shaped to conform closely to the contour of wall 23 of member 20 and this wall 31 is provided with a suitable plurality of discharge openings corresponding substantially in arrangement to the arrangement of openings 24 Otherwise the form of cap 30 may vary greatly, but usually it has a side wall converging inward and downwardly and terminating in an inwardly curved edge 3% arranged to eugage side wall 21 of member 20 with a rotatable fit, Outer wall I'll also has a short arch-shaped slot 35 adapted to receive projection 25 of member 20.

Cap 30 is placed over member 20 and so. cured by pressing portions of wall 21 outward, forming projections or ridges 4t) lying above er go 34: of the cap so that the cap cannot be removed but may be rotated to the extent permitted by projection l ying in slot 35, to bring holes 32 and el into registry, or out of registry. to permit discharge of the container contents or to close the. container as desired. A complete separate. attachable closure structure is thus produced as shown in Fig. 4-.

The describtul structure and arrangement of the rotatable cap and member 20 provide in a simple way for the secure and rotatable attachment of the cap without the necessity for any rivet or other connection passing through the two members at their rotative center. The mode of attaching the rotatable cap by outwardly creasing the member 20 as at 40, also provides in an znlvantagwius way for the lateral enlargement of the cap at the sides of member 20, producing a rounded knob-like gripping surface at and about the points 4.5, Figs. 1 and 4. A space 46 is thus provided between the side wall of the rotatable cap and the adjacent wall of the member 20. This space affords opportunity for inwardly depressing the cap material at intervals, producing rounded knobs 47 and depressions 48 to further facilitate the gripping and turning of the cap and also to add to the decorative appea ance of the closure.

Containers or cans are furnished to the manufacturer or packer ol the toilet powder in the condition shown in Fig. that is with only a Si. re opening. provided with a fixed member or sleeve 1) through which the an can be easily and quietly lilled. The separate closure structure is then attached without any machine operal ion and ordinary unskilled labor. the method of attachment consisting simply in placing the cup-shaped member over the sleeve 15 and pressing it down, whereupon a firm frie tional engagement is established between the walls 21 and 15, this engagement. being substantially permanent and secure against any force that can ordinarily be applied lo cap 30 in the proper use of the container. The

llli

lllll cap 30 may then be rotated to open or close the sitter openings in the ordinary Way and the structure has, for all purposes of use after filling and application of the separate closure structure, the same simplicity and other characteristics if attachable mem ber and sleeve 15 were originally integral.

By the described construction, therefore,

the disadvantages incident to machine ope tions in completing the closure after filling the cans and incident to the necessity for providing; a special filling opening, and other disadvantages previously pointed out, are avoided, and a dispensing closure of acceptable form and desirable simplicity is provided.

What I claim is 1. A dispensing closure of the class described, comprising a sleeve-like member secured in a filling opening; ola can Wall, a cup-like member tightly fitting the sleeve member and having an outer end provided With dispensing openings. and a rotatable cap enclosing the outer end of the cup1nember and overlapping its sides and having an outer portion closely fitting the outer end oi the cupunember and provided with cooperating discharge openings, the peripheral portion of the cap having substantial clearance from the side Walls of the cup-member, the lower edge of the cap beinginwardly scribed, a sleeve-like member having flanges secured in a filling opening of a can Wall, a cup-llke member having a friction fit on the sleeiemember and having a convex outer end provided with dispensing openings and a rotatable cap enclosing the outer end of the cup-member and overlapping its sides and having a convex outer portion closely fitting the outer end of the cup-member and provided with co-operating discharge openings, the peripheral portion of the cap being rounded and having substantial clearance from the side Walls of the cup-member and having rounded alternate projections and depressions to facilitate gripping and turning, the lower edge oi the cap being inward- 1y turned and engaging below projections pressed in the cup-member so that the cap is secured against outward displacement and rotatably located Without the provision of a pivot rivet.

Signed at city of Baltimore and State of Maryland this 16th day of November, A. D.

J OSIAH T. WILCOX. 

